Remodeled Carioca Kicks Off as Flamengo Opens With U-20 Squad

Overview

• After five years unchanged, the competition now splits 12 clubs into two crossed groups of six, with the top four in each advancing to quarterfinals.
• The schedule is compressed from 15 to 10 match dates, a shift federation president Rubens Lopes says will make the tournament far less forgiving of slip‑ups.
• Performance-based payments return: the champion earns R$10 million, the runner-up R$5 million, and total receipts for the winner can reach up to R$27 million with fixed and variable shares.
• Flamengo begins today against Portuguesa in Volta Redonda using its under‑20s, as regulations permit U‑20 lineups for the first three rounds before senior squads phase in later this month.
• With the Brasileirão starting Jan. 28 and early Copa do Brasil and Libertadores phases overlapping, clubs are staggering full-strength debuts—Flamengo targets Jan. 21 versus Vasco, Fluminense eyes the Jan. 25 Fla‑Flu—while Flamengo also pursues a possible 40th state crown and another consecutive tri.